City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Chicago | San Mateo | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,314/mo | $2,971/mo | 55.8% lower in A |
| Median home value | $304,500 | $1,508,900 | 79.8% lower in A |
| Median household income | $71,673 | $149,152 | 51.9% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 97.2 | 118.6 | 18.0% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 92.4 | 148.5 | 37.8% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 98.6 | 134.4 | 26.6% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 97.4 | 144.2 | 32.4% lower in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Chicago, you'd need $176,608 in San Mateo to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Chicago, IL is about 43.4% cheaper overall than San Mateo, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 56% lower in Chicago than in San Mateo. If you earn $80,000 in Chicago, you'd need about $141,286 in San Mateo to keep the same standard of living.